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F M DON'S

4.1 (511 reviews)
Closed • 10:30 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 3 months ago

F M DON'S Reservations

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F M DON'S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Trendy
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - F M DON'S

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Bison meatloaf
Flo V.

Hadn't been in a while.... glad we did. Every time we stop in for cocktails or a dinner, the consistency of our meals are always the same. Delicious. We sat at the bar and the service was quick and friendly. This time, my husband ordered the Bison meatloaf. Served over perfectly season mashed potato's and carrots. The Bison meatloaf was moist and full of flavor. I ordered the salmon with the French green beans. It comes with grilled Brussel spouts (which I don't care for) but they easily traded out the vegetables for another. No problem. The salmon just melted in my mouth and had a nice seared crisp on top. Add in a nice glass of Merlot..... and voila' ...... perfection. !!!!! The outside patio door was closed due to the cold wind, which was very nice. Our only concern was the noise level. The table behind was had a group of 6, and their talking & laughter carried quite far & loud. Sometimes annoying. Would love to see something done to address the noise. Love the food and the friendly staff !! Definitely will be back.

Irene E.

Will return. Passing by this cute little town of nearly 20,000 residents, on our way to the opera. We stopped by for a drink or two. It's at the intersection: patrons get to watch the comings and goings of the town, ha ha. Maybe my taste buds are still lingering from the dark vinegar at the Dumpling King earlier: is there a sour aftertaste in my Irish coffee?

Chix and waffles.
Mike K.

A cold January Florida day brought us into Punta Gorda for some grub. Wasn't planning on stopping at FN Don's but they had heaters going and open tables so hey! What the heck? I was with a group of 7. I ordered the chicken with waffles. It looked amazing. The chicken was hot, crisp and perfectly seasoned. The waffle was a bit on the sweet side with more added sugar that I would have preferred. Definitely taste prior to dumping the syrup on it. Also, need to dump the cheap, fake syrup....if you're going to offer quality food serve it with real maple syrup. Next to me. Adam ordered to bacon cheeseburger. Unfortunately I don't recall what everyone else ordered but I can tell you we all enjoyed our food. Bloody Marys were great and the service was with a smile. Go Check it out.

Salmon Caesar Salad
D A.

Lunch at FM Don's with friends. Decided to give this restaurant a second chance. Food last time not up to par but this time the food was great. Hopefully the chef will stay consistent. Glad we tried it again.

Caesar Salad, fresh made bread, and a bud light
Joe T.

Another exceptional meal at FM Dons! Always consistently excellent, and world class service too. Order was taken immediately and delivered to the table in a few minutes. Delicious Caesar salad with just the right amount of cheese and dressing added, perfect! The jambalaya like dish was also incredible! Every bite was a delight! And the dessert of chocolate cake made it another perfect meal at FM Dons. If you're in the area, you owe it to yourself to go to FM Dons, it is exceptional!

January 2026 - Bison Meatloaf w/veggies & mashed potatoes - my husband loved it!
Margaret M.

January 2026 The food was so delicious, from start to finish - see photos. Service - The check in was a bit chaotic but we got a great table .. and our server was super nice. Ambiance - Loved our table by the window - it is quite loud inside due to the floors and no insulation to absorb the bigger noisy tables. But we still had a lovely dinner :)

Healthy bowl with salmon and wontons.
Roxanne W.

We had a lovely relaxing lunch with a most attentive waitress! The heathy bowls we each chose were perfection. Just enough dressing, salmon cooked medium and perfectly, and the salad greens, quinoa, and farro were very filling. We both took half home! Parking was no issue at all, on the street at 12p. Took me 40 mins from Venice but traffic was light. I am very pleased we decided to meet there. She came from N Fort Myers and her drive was shorter. I highly recommend FM Don's to all who ask.

Street view
Amanda F.

Had dinner here without a reservation. Was easy to get a table. Service was prompt but not warm. The paper menu is always an interesting thing. Is it a germs thing? Or they'd rather toss them then clean a leather menu? Or they change the menu so often? I dunno, but it was clean and easy to read. We shared a salad. I thought it nice that the kitchen split it for us in the back, so we did not make a mess. It was a good portion. Lots of tomatoes and maybe too many dried cranberries. Dressing was perfect- not soggy. I had the meatloaf. It's nothing to write home about. Bison is a lean meat. The gravy was not very good but lucky there was not much of it. I just smothered the meatloaf in the delicious mashed potatoes. The green beans were plain- but cooked perfectly, same with the carrots. I added salt and enjoyed. My husband's dish was the star. He had the Faroe island salmon. It had such a nice crust on it. It was cooked medium to his preference. The corn succotash underneath was delicious. I'm not sure how the Brussels and shiitake mushrooms fit in, but we ate it all it was great. For dessert, we had the cheesecake. It was pretty standard. The crust was thin and soggy. There was some fruit drizzle on it and some whip. We ate it all. It was a pretty typical cheesecake, nothing to write home about. Prob won't get that again. The restaurant itself was busy. The bus boy was really keeping it clean. I was impressed that he checked the chairs and the floor underneath the tables. They make regular rounds on the bathrooms. I know because I was in it when they came around! Oops! They had a little space heater by the door which was good for the table there to not feel that cold rush of air every time the door opened. We were not given any cocktail menus nor did we see any QR code, but it looks like they have a full bar. We usually drink but we just had water. I could've been persuaded if I had seen something interesting. We were in and out in an hour. We appreciated that since we had a long day. We will prob com back and sit at the bar. Seems like they have some tasty small plates and they have a happy hour. Sitting outside will be nice in the summer time.

Escargot
Dan M.

This was an upscale-casual eatery with an outdoor bar. The menu was not big but had plenty of interesting choices. The service was inconsistent throughout the night, but not a big deal. For starters, the tuna avocado tower and escargot were ordered. The tower consisted of ahi tuna, crispy wontons, spring mix, and a sweet chili sauce. The tuna was melt in your mouth good and the sweet chili sauce along with the wasabi enhanced the overall dish. The escargot was with lemon and butter along with a baguette. This was solid. There was a good amount of snail, but more bread could have been given as the bread that was given to the table came after the appetizers were done. For an entrée, I split two. The first was the grilled swordfish with a Mediterranean ratatouille, crispy polenta, and a roasted pepper harissa. This was not bad. The swordfish was cooked appropriately and seasoned well. It was a well portioned piece too. The roasted pepper harissa was really good too. The polenta was very dry and not seasoned. The ratatouille was alright. It was a nice mix of vegetables and olives. The other entrée was a tripletail special. It came with a tomato, onion, and garlic risotto. Again, this was alright. This was another good piece of fish and cooked ideally, but it just seemed to be missing something. The risotto was alright, a little liquidity. I also tried the beef tenderloin. It was the best item tried of the night. The beef was cooked to perfection and was so tender as well as flavorful. The potatoes and vegetables were tasty too. Will I go back? Possibly.

Bison Meatloaf!!
Jeff J.

Stopped in on a weeknight for the $29 salad, entree and dessert trio. Wow!! Cheyenne was our server and her recommendations were top shelf. Tried the pomegranate martini and the Mrs. had a glass of Pinot G. She had the seafood bouillabaisse and really enjoyed it. I'm a meatloaf "ho", so I had the bison meatloaf. Mine was equally awesome! For dessert we had the recommended key lime pie and layered chocolate cake. Cheyenne really did her job well as our server and was spot on for decision-making choices and then provided top level service. She rocked!! The restaurant has outdoor and inside seating. Both are inviting. Yelpers, don't let this little gem get lost in your search. Thanks to Cheyenne for an awesome experience. Ask for her! Thanks to Maurice Cossairt from Edgewater Real Estate - Napels, for the restaurant recommendation. He's a great realtor if you are looking for one!

Yana S.

Great local place for food and drinks as well as live music. The service is always consistent, I have come here numerous times and the last time was for my birthday dinner. I like the modern vibe, and it's fairly priced. Reliable.

Mahi special - elegant and simply delightful!

We love FM Don's. Super consistent food and service. Always a great place to bring out of town guests because everybody can find something they love on this well rounded menu. Kyle is our #1 server and I get hugs with his great service This past Friday they had a great fish special with couscous. Delicious!!! Put that on the menu please - truly, put it on there, it was amazing!!

Fresh bread served

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27 days ago

Food, service, cocktails and ambiance were lovely! Very good waitress. We will definitely go again!

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1 month ago

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26 days ago

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3 months ago

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4 months ago

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3 months ago

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10 days ago

Great food and service! Easter was busy. Staff did a terrific job! Nice outdoor area to sit while waiting for friends, family or table.

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

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7 months ago

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16 days ago

We absolutely would recommend FM Don's! The food is delicious and the staff and service are impeccable!

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2 months ago

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10 months ago

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23 days ago

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2 months ago

The food was delicious and the service was top notch. Lots of water was served and the drinks were good.

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4 months ago

We went there for New Year's Eve. Service and food was awesome!! Great martinis too! Highly recommend.

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3 months ago

Food was excellent. No wait on a Sunday morning. Loved eating outside where it was much quieter than inside. Waitstaff great!

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3 months ago

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1 month ago

One of the best filet's I have ever had! My husband loves the Bison meatloaf. We visit Dons at least 3 or 4 times a year.

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2 months ago

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4 months ago

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11 months ago

Excellent restaurant! Service, food and service superior! Atmosphere elegant and beautiful design,

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2 months ago

Outstanding food and service! The staff are very professional and friendly. Food is some of the best in the whole area!

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5 months ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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5 months ago

Outstanding for a party of 8. Food is excellent as well as service. Always a wonderful time.

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5 months ago

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6 months ago

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3 months ago

Food is awesome...especially Stoli Martinis and Mussels! Great service. Also love the bison meatloaf...dinner specials are always great.

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3 months ago

The food and service were both very good on a busy night. But as it was a busy night, our only complaint was the noise level was high.

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4 months ago

Delicious food and service. My go to place with guests. It can be a bit noisy. Nice atmosphere.

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Page 1 of 13

Ask the Community - F M DON'S

Open on thanksgiving?

Yes, FM Don's, downtown Punta Gorda, will be open from 12 PM to 7 PM, on Thursday Thanksgiving day 2025.

View All 4 Questions

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Ortigia Cucina & Bar

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We went to mass in Punt Gorda on a Saturday late afternoon and stopped in to see if a table was…read moreavailable, and we lucked out. The outdoor atmosphere was perfect, as well as the food and service. We will definitely return here again!

Ate at the Ortigia Cucina & Bar last night with my son and daughter-in-law and we were so…read morepleasantly surprised. The food was absolutely delicious, although all our meals did not come out at the same time and we had a wait a few minutes till my daughter-in-law got her meal, it was hot and cooked to perfection tho. I had the best arugula salad ever, perfectly balanced with the tomatoes, red roasted peppers, blue cheese, and balsamic dressing, and also the beef tenderloin skewers, which were cooked, medium rare and served with crispy potatoes that were seasoned spot on, just enough to make it a delightful dinner! My daughter-in-law had the swordfish which she said was very tasty, my son-in-law had the chicken Christina, which he devoured, and my husband had the cheese raviolis and meatballs, which were on the children's menu, but they said they could give him the adult size portion, which he also enjoyed. I tasted his meatballs and sometimes they are not the best everywhere, these were very good. I normally do take pictures of the food, but I forgot because we were so hungry and dug in as soon as we got our meals, but the presentation was very satisfying. The only negatives were, the music was very loud, and we could barely have a conversation, only when the band took a break, and our waitress didn't put much effort into being friendly or going the extra mile. Had to tell her to get my husband, ice, lemons for our water, and remind her about my daughter-in-law's meal that we were waiting for a couple times. Overall, would definitely go back there and recommend!

Ice House Pub

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F M DON'S - bars - Updated May 2026

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